http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--ch...075249498.htmlFor Howard, the trade deadline comes on Thursday and rivals are still poking at the Lakers, understanding fully that Howard is miserable. When teams call to talk trade, they say, the Lakers' private message has been consistent with the public one: Howard isn't available, general manager Mitch Kupchak tells them.
When suggestions surfaced over the weekend that the Lakers had engaged in trade talks, Kupchak delivered word directly to Howard that he should pay it no mind. "They're too arrogant to move him now, even if Dwight asked for it," one rival GM said. "They're the Lakers, and they'll dare you to walk away in July. And if I was them, I would, too."
When asked about the possibility of the Lakers moving Howard at the deadline, Kobe Bryant was devastatingly indifferent. "I don't know what they're going to do," he said Sunday. "At this point, it doesn't matter."Rest assured, Bryant and Howard didn't spend this All-Star weekend bonding the way Bryant and Andrew Bynum did a year ago. Bryant doesn't ask Howard about his future, nor does he sell him on re-signing. The trade deadline is Thursday, but the organization still hasn't come to Howard with that ultimate question: Come July, are you in or out?
Howard has grown to believe that winning has to be the premium priority of his free-agent decision, sources say. He promises to take a long look this summer – study the Lakers' present and future against those options available to him in free agency, including sign-and-trades – and make a choice weighed less in marketing potential and geography, and more in proper personnel for sustainable success.
YEah right ... Howard will not make a smart decision no matter which way he decides. I Would prefer he re-sign ...but to me it's nowhere near the death sentence people make it out to be. Lakers were not winning a le this year or next anyway. Team needs to decide if Mike D is the long term answers and sort out the Buss family drama before we have any chance of returning to glory. Plus Kobe is almost done ...
If Howard were to re-sign, then D'antoni needs to be gone. Period.
I wont lie Im with the TNT crew, all that clowning around at the ASG makes me wonder about Dwight ...
People will point to Shaq or Lebron and say they outgrew some of that enough to win but I never thought James was a "Clown" on that level. Shaq to some degree was/is ... but he also had a nastiness on teh court that Howard lacks. Maybe some of it is back related and some of it Brooklynitis ... but he just seems like he lacks some mental toughnes to be a true franchise guy.
Agree. Howard has always been a clown. And the way he's been milking the out of his back and shoulder injury, makes you wonder if he had ever been mentally checked in after being traded there.
Not a Howard fan and his mental check out with free throws in the Finals may well have cost Orlando.
But, Magic used to say if Kreem Jabbar did not get the ball he would sulk and pout and quit giving effort. So Magic would make sure to feed Kreem the ball early in the game whether it was the right play or not. So as to get Kreem involved early.
Upon Howards arrival, Kirbys ball hogging ways seemed to have similarly had Howard go into pout mode. Kirbys turning into *Mr Assist* mode for 4-5 games may have gotten Howard interested again. Too little too late or Watch Out for 8th seeded Lakers come playoff time. I cannot imagine Kirby will sustain his passing but who knows???
That's exactly why he never wanted to go to L.A
Howard should move, not resign. He's going to be the scapegoat in LA, but in Brooklyn, he'd be the hero win or lose.
Howard such a re he will probably do a sign and trade for his own greedy purposes. This will majorly hurt the team he is going to, such as Brooklyln.
As a free agent he would cost his future team nothing in trade backs. He could definitely boost many teams to instant contender. I'd even take him on the Spurs.
Chris Sheridan @sheridanhoops
Kobe on Dwight trade possibility: "I don't know what they're going to do. At this point, it doesn't matter."
Can't do a sign and trade. The new CBA doesn't let them work like they used to.
Oh cool.
So the WWE Fakeshow will have to pull an alternate scam. Great.
Howard should simply sign with another team, the Mavs are a good option. Even the Spurs could offer a lot, if they let every expiring player walk. Once he re-signs, the Lakers will trade him where they want. Apparently, Kobe and Dwight can't coexist, and Dwight didn't show he's good enough at this point, for the Lakers to re-build around him.
It will be interesting to see. Either re-sign Dwight and lose Earl Clark, leaving them with even less bench depth, or let Dwight walk.
Brooklyn won't be a contender with Dwight Howard. Brook Lopez has been every bit the player Howard is this year. D-Will's fat and overpaid, Joe Johnson is old and overpaid, Gerald Wallace is old, and Kris Humphries is overpaid. Lopez and MarShon Brooks are really two of the only upsides to that team. And if Deron Williams would get his head out of his ass and get back in shape he'd still be an all-star.
is unhappy in LA but he'll still re-sign with the lakers for the sake of money, and force a move out of the team by the same time next year. the only possibility that he leaves as a FA is if the lakers get too upset with him to offer him a MAX extension that he demands, but it's not a big possibility tbh
I used to think Bible Kemp would go 100% for the money, but LA has turned so ing toxic and he NEVER wanted to be there in the first place. The only time I have seen a superstar trade go this badly was Pippen on the 99 Rockets. To be fair, that locker room looked twice as toxic as the current Lakers' squad (Barkley and Pippen were always killing each other in the press), but , even that completely dysfunctional Rockets team landed a 5 seed.
The Lakers won't be able to get fair trade value for Howard, whether he's a s of himself or not. I think he stays in LA, they need someone for the future, Kobe won't be around forever.
Jeez I wonder if rival GM is just a code word for Mark Cuban (even though he's an owner). Guys a POS to be honest...even on shark tank.
If Dwight really doesn't care about geography and marketability, his top choices this summer should be Houston, Cleveland and Portland (do they have cap room?). All have nice young cores.
won't want to join a ty franchise which is his premier priority, so that the likes of houston and cleveland have never made his interest list despite having enough cap space
Sam Amico @SamAmicoFSO Lakers say they aren't trading Dwight Howard, but Kobe Bryant would be OK with it if they did, sources say. Story: http://tinyurl.com/as9rh4s
Howard's back and Portland's trainers would be about the only thing more comical than seeing his ass in D'Antoni's offense.
Howard out for season with slipped disk...
That
has to beSources: Kobe OK with Howard trade
the mostWhether center Dwight Howard is a part of that attempted revival doesn't matter to Bryant, sources familiar with Bryant's thinking told FOX Sports Ohio.
poorlyBut if Kupchak changes his mind, he'd have Bryant's full support, according to sources.
sourcedBut sources say Bryant also wonders if Howard has the right approach
articleBryant is not alone in his concern, sources say.
I'veAccording to sources, a number of Lakers have their doubts about whether Howard takes the game seriously and "wants it" enough for the challenges the team now faces.
everBrooklyn and Dallas are said to be among the teams with which Howard would agree to a contract extension this summer.
readSources insist it's still possible Howard could re-sign with the Lakers
Period.Kupchak has denied a CBS Sports report the Lakers were toying with the idea of trading Howard to the Celtics in a deal for point guard Rajon Rondo, out for the season with an ACL injury.
However, sources say Kupchak has indeed taken several calls centered on Howard. So far, according to sources, Kupchak has quickly shot down any pitches.
Seriously, how the does this get published? Where are the sources? What are their names, or at least their affiliations? It's like Saddam's WMD, they had a dude named "Curveball" at least. Well, per par for a Faux Sports/News "article" I guess
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